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Reffa Lucille Mayne, 89, of Creston, passed away Oct. 26, 2025, at Creston Specialty Care. Celebration of Life services will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Jodi Rushing will officiate. Services will be livestreamed at a link under her obituary. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery north of Creston. Open visitation will be 2-7 p.m., with family receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at powersfh.com.
Reffa was born on Jan. 12, 1936, in Washington D.C. to Lester and Lucille Arey. She grew up in the Washington D.C. area until the family moved to Red Oak in 1942. She started school in Red Oak and moved to Creston in fourth grade. While in school, Reffa helped her brothers deliver the Creston News Advertiser until she was old enough to have a route of her own, which she took pride in. She graduated from Creston High School in 1953.
On May 29, 1956, Reffa married John “Gil” Gilmer Mayne in Creston. After marriage, they lived in Creston and had two sons, Mike and Jim. They started farming in 1963 north of Creston. In 1966 they moved north of Afton to farm. Reffa worked at various jobs in Creston and Afton, including the Afton newspaper, as a CNA at the Afton Care Center and in the dentist office for Dr. Ray Beecher, Dr. Dan Harris and Dr. Todd Scott until her retirement in 2005. She became a breast cancer survivor in 2005.
Gil and Reffa were members of Jerusalem United Methodist Church. Reffa was active in the Union County Fair in the baking goods open class. She volunteered at the Iowa State Fair in the Elwood Building with baked goods. Gil and Reffa enjoyed camping at the Iowa State Fair for many years. Reffa was also active in the Sunshine Ladies Neighborhood Society and the Jerusalem Ladies Aid group.
Reffa is survived by her husband Gil, residing at Crest Ridge Estates; children, Mike (Becky) Mayne of Council Bluffs and Jim (Denise) Mayne of West Des Moines; grandchildren: Stephanie (Mark) Bodzek, Stephen (Michaela) Mayne, Nikki (Josh) Dillman, Breezi (Chris) Martin and Taylor Mayne; step-grandchildren: Ryan (Leah) Kornelsen, Ali Kornelsen, Julia Roemen, Drew Roemen and Ava Roemen; six great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; brother Wayne Arey and sisters-in-law, Betty Arey and Verna Arey.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Lucille Arey; father- and mother-in-law, Eldon and Ruby Mayne; brothers: Ted Arey, Carlton (Bernice) Arey and Richard Arey; sisters-in-law: Darlys Arey, Colleen (Kenneth) Miller and Sheyl (Richard) Wilke; brother-in-law Gerald (Joan) Mayne and daughter-in-law Kathy Mayne.